Best Pet Insurance Companies With No Waiting Period (2025)

When your beloved cat or dog is injured or ill, the last thing you want to do is put off medical care because of financial concerns. Pet insurance can help cover costly veterinary services, but most insurers have waiting periods before your coverage kicks in. This is usually to prevent policyholders from buying insurance to pay for pre-existing conditions, which nearly all insurers exclude from coverage.

But some insurers offer same-day coverage for accidents and shorter-than-average waiting periods for illnesses or orthopedic conditions. Whether you just adopted a new pet or need veterinary care for a longtime furry family member, these pet insurance companies offer the best coverage with no waiting periods for accidents and short waiting periods for illnesses.

Understanding pet insurance waiting periods

A pet insurance waiting period is the time between when you enroll in a policy and when your coverage begins. The delay protects insurance companies from fraudulent claims by preventing pet owners from signing up for coverage after their pet is already sick or injured. Insurers typically set three different waiting periods for different conditions.

• Accident coverage usually begins between one and 14 days after enrollment. Covered accidents include foreign-body ingestion (your pet eating something it shouldn’t), poisoning, broken bones, cuts, and torn nails.

• Illness coverage starts between two weeks and one month after you buy a policy. Illness policies cover diagnostics and treatment of illnesses, like kennel cough or cancer.

• Orthopedic conditions, like hip dysplasia, have the longest waiting periods, ranging from six months to one year.

• Wellness coverage, or preventive care coverage, may start immediately upon enrollment. Wellness policies cover routine exams, vaccinations, microchipping, preventative medications, and spaying/neutering.

If your pet develops an issue during the waiting period, insurers consider it a pre-existing condition and won’t cover it under your policy. Understanding how pet insurance works and the different types of coverage can help you find the best policy for your furry family member.

Pet insurance companies with no waiting period for accidents

Most pet insurance companies have at least a two-week waiting period before coverage begins. A few insurers offer accident coverage immediately upon enrollment, which is the closest thing to no-waiting-period coverage. But these insurers still have longer waiting periods for illness and orthopedic coverage.

The companies below cover accidents within hours of enrollment or have a shorter-than-average waiting period for accidents.

MetLife

Lemonade

Embrace

Compare waiting periods by pet insurance company

Pet insurance waiting periods vary by company, but most fall between one and 14 days for accidents and illnesses. Waiting periods can also vary by state, so you should always check the terms of your policy to confirm your coverage.

Orthopedic conditions, like hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament injury, typically have longer waiting periods. Pumpkin pet insurance offers a shorter waiting period of 14 days for orthopedic conditions.

You can compare waiting periods for popular pet insurance companies in the table below.

Special offers and waiting period waivers

If a vet has recently examined your pet, you might qualify to waive your pet insurance waiting period. Insurers like Prudent will waive the waiting period for orthopedic conditions if a veterinarian clears your pet.

Some insurers also offer special promotions so your coverage starts immediately. Trupanion partners with veterinarians to provide same-day coverage. Pet owners can activate the insurer’s Exam Day Offer within 24 hours of a veterinary exam for immediate coverage and unlimited lifetime claims payouts.5 Trupanion has a similar Go Home Day Offer for newly adopted pets, if activated within 24 hours of bringing your pet home from the breeder or shelter.

Pet owners can get same-day coverage through ManyPets by switching from their current insurer. Your current pet insurance policy must be active within 24 hours of your ManyPets policy enrollment date for the promotion to apply.

Offers may change, so it’s best to verify current waiting period waivers with the pet insurance company before enrolling.

How to get pet insurance coverage that starts quickly

Active pet insurance coverage provides financial protection by lowering costly veterinary bills. Getting a policy that’s effective within days rather than weeks means your pet insurance will cover the next emergency.

Here’s how to find pet insurance coverage with short waiting periods:

Enrolling in pet insurance coverage as early as possible can help you secure the lowest premium for your pet. Starting a policy when your pet is young also means it’ll have fewer excluded pre-existing conditions, which you need to disclose to your insurer.

Understanding what’s covered during no-waiting-period policies

Most pet insurers offer a choice of accident-only coverage or accident and illness coverage. Illness policies, which cover conditions like infections or cancer, almost always have a two-week waiting period.

A few insurers, like Embrace, offer accident coverage without a waiting period. Accident coverage helps to cover the cost of incidents like foreign-body ingestion, getting hit by a car, torn cruciate ligament injuries, cuts and lacerations, poisoning, and prescription drugs to treat covered conditions.

Some pet insurance companies also provide wellness plans that begin coverage immediately after enrollment. Wellness coverage pays for preventative or routine care, including dental cleanings, spay and neuter procedures, and vaccinations.

Even same-day pet insurance coverage doesn’t apply to pre-existing conditions, so insurers will exclude any injuries or illnesses your pet had before enrollment.

Pet insurance and waiting period FAQs